


Jupiter Jazz

by cnd555



Series: Little Astronaut, Dream Big [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Actually there is no sci-fi, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Meant to be set in the very distant future of 2170, Mute-ish!Zuko, Set in an old west bar / brothel yall, Small mention of people smuggling, inspired by cowboy bebop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24000544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cnd555/pseuds/cnd555
Summary: Sokka finds Zuko in the Old West. They talk, they lust and Zuko lets Sokka lead him home.
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Little Astronaut, Dream Big [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728364
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	Jupiter Jazz

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Cowboy Bebop. 
> 
> Fair warning; mature content. Firstly, this is set in a bar/brothel. Secondly, there are two people who are drunk. Thirdly, these two people are heavily implied (not explicitly I'm afraid) to have gone and done The Sex. All very mature content, I know. 
> 
> Don't say I didn't warn you :) If you want me to change the rating, let me know.
> 
> Just some context: Sokka is 20 years old here and Zuko is 21.

In an old dinghy saloon. Deep somewhere in the Old West town. Dirt and dry heat and wood.

Jupiter Jazz plays. Twelve bar blues. Smoke plumes and warm whiskey dew.

“Howdy stranger,” he hears as someone slides into the chair opposite him. Zuko looks up. It’s the Avatar’s friend. “Fancy seeing you here. Stalking me of something?”

Corner booth, bloody knuckles and deep deep in his head.

Zuko scoffs. He has no patience tonight and refuses to look at the guy again. He keeps his head down, finger licking the edges of his tumbler. Round and round. The smoke of his cigarette drifts up to the ceiling undisturbed.

The old man laments;

When I was a young boy my Ma gave me the whiskey

Could not shake it off ‘til I was in my sleep

Could not shake it off ‘til I was in my sleep

“Sokka,” the stranger introduces. “If you don’t remember. Although I must say, I've been told I am quite unforgettable.”

Zuko takes a lungful of the cigarette between his unsteady fingertips and deigns Sokka a stare.

“So you do remember,” Sokka smiles, “I can see it in your eyes.” He stuffs a potato chip into his mouth and then a big bite of his burger. “What are you doing here anyways?” he asks in between a mouth full of food.

Zuko lifts a hand, two fingers heavenward. A madame comes along not a minute later. Her cowboy boots a-clunking, lipstick red neckerchief and a lacey dress that shows off her curves just right. She places two glasses of whiskey onto the table with a white gloved hand.

“Anything else for you gentlemen?”

Zuko shakes his head and with a flat hand raises it to his chin and moves it gently away from his face. He stares back to the unwanted man before him, nudges the glass towards the guy.

“Oh shit, thanks Zuko,” Sokka says and then shovels a burger into his mouth. “Good shit, this is,” he holds up the half eaten burger.

Zuko watches Sokka with a frown, not quite understanding the boy across from him. He’s numb today.

He’d like to sleep a little he decides. For an hour or two.

The old man laments;

Woke up this evenin’, lonesome and broken blue

My lady left, said this breath smelt of the sinful brew

My lady left, said this home only housed the lucky booze

After Sokka finishes his chewing he downs the glass of liquor in one go. Zuko scoffs and waits. The spluttering and coughs begin straight after and Zuko finds himself chuckling a little.

"Urgh," Sokka says after he chases the whiskey down with some water. He coughs once more before asking, “why are you all the way out here? Everybody knows Old West is a bit of a dump.”

Zuko winces.

Ribbons of red down a river.

Bodies topple over a bridge.

Forgive me Father for I have seen.

He takes a long puff from a shaking hand and takes out his Info-Pad.

_The better question is what are **you** doing here?_

Sokka scoffs, “as if I’ll tell you considering you won’t tell me.” He takes a bite of his burger again and sips Pepsi from a straw obnoxiously. Zuko wonders how one does that but it is just so.

He breathes in the smoke of tobacco to feel its warmth cascade down into his lungs.

His fingers stop shaking.

_Smuggler._

He watches Sokka’s face shift from playful to interest. “Awesome!" Sokka exclaims. "What were they smuggling? Gaia gold? Jewellery? IPs?”

Zuko scowls, bad taste in his mouth. He takes a swig of his whiskey and forcefully throws the empty glass back on to the table. It tumbles around before setting itself right.

 _People_ , he scratches violently onto the screen.

The boy’s face drops and he frowns. “Oh, I’m sorry," Sokka apologises. "That was insensitive. Did you at least catch the bastard?”

Zuko nods and calls for another whiskey, signs that he’d like a pint of beer.

The old man laments;

Woke up this mornin’ and the police were a-knocking

Woke up this morning’ and the police were a-knocking

Boy they draggin’ me to the jailhouse now, still drunk and deeply dreamin’

The madame slides to their table and sets the drinks down. Zuko nudges the pint towards Sokka. “You’re a new face. Handsome too. Any one of my girls you interested in?” She raises a sharp brow at Sokka.

Zuko watches Sokka sputter and catches his eyes when they dart between Zuko and the madame, “uhhh…”

“Or do you swing the other way? We’ve got them too,” she sets her tray down and places both hands against Zuko’s mask where his cheeks should be. “Zuko here is very pretty. I’m sure he can be your Lady of the Night.”

Zuko pulls away in disgusts and forces, “ _no_.”

The madame cackles. “Name’s Nima,” she offers Sokka a strong hand and Zuko watches them shake. “It’s good to see Zuko with a friend.”

Zuko makes a disagreeing noise.

“Sokka,” the Avatar’s friend says, smiling sweetly. “And no to the adult services,” he says confidently before adding, “for the moment.” Nima is gifted a cheeky wink.

Madame Nima grins and picks up her tray. “Well, you call when it’s the right time. My girls would _love_ to have their way with you,” she adds before whisking away into the crowded saloon.

“You know, you _are_ very pretty,” Sokka snickers into his beer. “Cheers,” he lifts the pint.

Zuko scowls but takes a drink anyways.

Sokka takes a bite into his burger. “Do _you_ fuck the girls here?”

Zuko sighs and sits back into his chair. He lights another cigarette before taking a puff. His hands have stilled. Blues and booze in his bloodstream, a veil of thick smoke over his thoughts.

The old man laments;

To the courthouse with the cruel ancient judge and me

She lists vices of mine, but I am as high as could be

Sixty days in the can, Lord I cry, my blood empty of gin and sun-dry

The bar was dark and they were hidden in a small corner of the world. Zuko looks away from Sokka, around into the saloon. There are merchant trades being made here, idiots being swindled, Pai Sho being played, over in the corridor are people fucking and no one bats an eye.

In a crowd like this, they’re all practically ghosts. He could be somebody else, anybody else. But he really couldn’t, could he?

Zuko looks back at Sokka. Remembers his olive, sun-kissed skin. Those ocean eyes. His mouth goes dry and Zuko scowls. This alcohol does him no favours.

Zuko signs no with his hands and follows it with a shake of his head.

“Ever _been_ with a girl?” There’s a stupid playful smirk etched on Sokka’s stupid playful face.

This time Zuko just shakes his head, cheeks flushed from booze. He puffs his cigarette, watches the smoke curl in the air and mix with the other smokers’.

“A guy?”

He sharply catches Sokka’s eyes and holds him there. Forces, “ _yeah,”_ out from the back of his throat and dares for Sokka’s next move.

Zuko’s body coils tightly, ready to strike.

Sokka chuckles and smiles, “had a threesome with a guy once. Best time _ever_.”

The tension cuts and Zuko sighs.

He’s numb tonight.

_Why are you in the Old West?_

Sokka grins and holds up his beer to indicate he wants Zuko to reach for his tumbler. Zuko does, glass kissing his lips.

“For the brothels,” Zuko hears and he chokes onto the liquor that runs down his throat.

He hears Sokka’s boisterous laughter and gives him his best glare.

“Ahhhh,” Sokka says satisfied and wiping at his eyes. “Good one.”

They get to drinking long into the night.

Thing about Old West is that the sun don’t shine here. Nights drag on for months and sin reaps and sows. A den for the demons; drinking, gambling, lying, lusting, fucking. 

He laughs like he hasn’t since Jet. He plays and flirts like he still _wants_. Oh _Agni,_ does he want.

Somehow Sokka is sitting next to Zuko and not across. Time flies and Zuko is pressed against the wall, body bloody and blazing with lust and desire. But can he?

Can he?

His is so numb he cannot take it.

A hand slides up his thigh; heavy as an anchor and warm like the winter sun. Zuko tilts his head towards her rays, pliant and submissive.

Another hand on his neck and a nudge of his mask. “Can I?” Sokka asks, breath smelling strongly of beer. Zuko squirms underneath Sokka’s intense stare. Deep blue eyes; open and tender. How Zuko wants to be a part of that innocence.

He nods in a daze, mouth slightly open in anticipation.

The mask comes off swiftly and Zuko flinches but forces himself to stare at those ocean eyes. _Try to hurt me_ , he wants to convey with his glare. _I dare you._

A moment, a space, a heartbeat; a gentle hand over his face; a thumb dusting underneath the thin skin of his eye. “You’re so beautiful,” whispered honest and lusted. A breath on Zuko’s cheek, “come be my vice for tonight, Zuko,” into his ear. A nip at his earlobe.

Zuko is suddenly very aware of the large hand rubbing gently up and down his hip, another pressed firmly on the dip of his back.

And still, all scarred and ugly, Sokka wants him.

Zuko nods, let’s Sokka lead him into the night. 

The old man laments;

My life’s all a misery, Ma

Oh, I still be a-sleepin’ since the very start

Oh, I still be a-sleepin’ since you left me, Ma

A lifetime of mistakes,

begins with a moment of weakness.


End file.
